This point presents us with abundant matter of lamentation and mourning ov£r the greatest part of those that sit under the sound of the gospel ; but yet as Christ speaks of the Jews, John v. 37. " who have not heard the voice of God at any time :"" the minis- terial voice of Christ they hear daily ; but this efficacious internal voice, which makes the ministerial voice the word of life and power, they have not heard. The gospel, to the most pf our hearers, is but an empty sound : this is a sad symptom, 2 Cor. iv. 3= " If " our gpspel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : in whom the " god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe " not," &c. This hiding of the gospel is not opposed to the ex- ternal ministration of it, nor yet to the understanding of the true sense and meaning of the truths delivered by it ; but only to that internal efficacy which is here called the hearing of Christ's voice. Our people are generally well satisfied when they have heard a sermon, much more if they can remember something of it, though the Lord hath not spoken one truth they have heard home to their hearts. Now this is a sad case, and God grant it be not that very judgment threatened, Isa. vi. 9. " Hear ye indeed, but un- " derstand not ; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." So that hearing the mere voice of man, without feeling the power of God, is all one as if we heard not. Reflect sadly upon this you that sit as unconcerned under the word as the seats you sit upon. God speaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not. AVell, the eternal decrees and counsels of God are now executing upon the souls of men under the gospel. As many as are ordained to eter- nal life shall believe and feel the power of God's truths upon their hearts. Acts xiii. 48. And methinks it should be of a starthng con- sideration, when you shall see others struck to the heart, cast into fears and tremblings by the same word that doth not in the least touch your hearts. It may be you think this is but fancy and melan- choly ; that very thought is an artifice of Satan to blind your eyes. I am sure Christ made another use of it, when he told the secure and self-righteous Jews, Mat. xxi. 32. "John came unto you in " the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not ; but the " publicans and harlots believed him : and ye, when ye had seen " it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him," q. d. What shift did yoi; make to quiet your consciences, when you saw other poor sinners so humbled, and brought to faith under John's ministry .? It is strange there should be no reflections in your con- sciences upon your own state and condition ; but thus it must be, one shall be taken and another left ; to some it shall be the savour of hfe unto hfe, and to others the savour of death unto death. O
Tvho can look over so great a part of a congregation without melt- ing lK)wels of compassion ! Considering that unto this day the Lord hath not given them eyes to see, nor ears to hear: They have heard multitudes of sermons; they have heard also what effects they have had upon other men's hearts, but none u})on theirs. O that such poor souls would cry to the Lord Jesus, in such language as that, Cant. viii. 13. " The companions hearken to thy voice, " cause me to hear it." Lord, let me not sit under the word any longer deaf to the voice of thy Spirit in it. Open and unstop the ears of my soul, that I may hear thy voice, and feel thy power ; otherwise the external ministerial voice will be ineffectual to my salvation ; it will be but a rattle to still and quiet my conscience for a little while, and a dreadful aggravation of my misery in the issue.
II. Use, for Information,
ScconcUi/^ The point before us presents five other truths with equal clearness to our eyes.
Infer, 1. In the first place, hence it follows, that we have this day before our eyes a great seal and confirmation of the truth of the scriptures. No miracles can seal it firmer than the events of it do, which are visible to all that will observe them. What you read in the word you may see every day fulfilled before your eyes. You read, 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. " We are unto God a sweet savour ^' of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. *' To the one we are the savour of death unto death, and to the ** other the savour of hfe unto life." And again. Acts xxviii. 24. it is observed, that when Paul in his lodgings had expounded and testified the kingdom of God to the people, and persuading them to believe from morning to evening ; it is observed, I say, that some believed the things thai were spolcen^ and some believed not. Here you see the different, yea, the contrary events of the preaching of the gospel, according to the scripture-account of it ; it quickens some, and kills others ; it brings some to faith, and leaves others still fixed in unbelief*. Compare this account with Avhat is daily lieforc your eyes ; do you not see souls differently influenced to contrary effects under the same word? One melting and tender, another hardened and wholly unconcerned ? Tell me, you that are apt to ascribe all to nature, how comes it to pass that men exercising rea- son alike, men that have the same inbred fears and hope of things eternal, who have the same passions and affections, and are in the self-same condition and state with others ; yet one man s heart shall be wounded, and go away trembling from under the self-same word, which affects the other no more than if it had been preached among the tombs to the dead that lie there ? Sny
not, some have more courage than others, or clearer understand- ings ; for it is most certain the word hath convinced as rational and courageous persons as those upon whom it has had no such effect. I doubt not but the jailor that was cast into such tremblings and astonishment, Acts xvi. 30. was as stout and rugged a person as any to whom Paul usually preached : his very office bespake him such a man. Wonder not what it is that makes men fright at such a sound, which you hear as well as they, but it affects you not : The Lord speaks in that voice to their hearts, but not to yours ; and so it must be according to the account the scriptures gives us of the contrary events of the gospel upon them that hear it ; which is, I say, a fair and firm seal of the truth of the scriptures, and highly worth the due observation of all men.